A year ago today, an arbitral tribunal formed pursuant to the United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea issued a blockbuster award finding much of China’s conduct in the South China Sea in violation of international law.

This week, the United States navy carried out what may be its first Freedom of Navigation Exercises (FONOPs) in the South China Sea since President Trump took office, just a few days after a close encounter between American and Chinese aircraft.

The annual ASEAN Summit wrapped up in Manila on Saturday, and the official closing statement notably failed to mention the UNCLOS arbitration ruling last year or China’s ongoing land reclamation and militarization activities in the South China Sea.